Mini Moke

Fiat 600 Jungla

The Jungla, Italian for “Jungle,” was designed at the request of Fiat supremo Gianni Agnelli who wanted a vehicle to compete with the popular Mini Moke, and perhaps to win the company some military contracts. Just 3,200 or so were made between 1965 and 1974. Emphasizing simplicity as a design criterion, the Fiat Jungla boasted a utilitarian, squared-off metal body, providing space for four adults and up to 40 kilograms of luggage, cargo, or beach equipment. Leveraging the mass production of the Fiat 600, a popular and affordable car in Italy at the time, the Jungla was based on the same platform to ensure cost-effective, efficient production and broad parts availability.

Powering the vehicle was a 767cc inline-four cylinder, overhead valve engine borrowed from the Fiat 600, with power transmitted through a 4-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. Despite its modest output of 32 bhp, the low curb weight of 578 kilograms allowed for a respectable top speed of 95 km/h, depending on the load. Though of course, it woulds take a driver with significant courage to actually achieve that speed on Italy’s twisting coastal roads.

While initially intended for military use, the Jungla only saw very limited adoption by the Italian armed forces. That said, it found favor with the Italian Forestry Service and the Carabinieri who ordered some for specialist roles.

Interestingly, the Savio Jungla became particularly popular among affluent vacationers in France, Italy, and Monte Carlo. With their open-top configuration, these four-seaters offered a simple means of transportation for short trips from their hillside manor houses to the waterfront. Notably, the Kelly 600 variant of the Fiat Jungla gained significant recognition. This special edition featured a tasseled folding fabric roof, woven rattan seats, and other rattan accents. Produced by a Fiat dealership based in Monaco, original examples of the Kelly 600 have become highly sought-after and valuable collector’s items.

To shield occupants from the sun, many of these cars were fitted with simple canvas tops as mentioned above, while rattan seats were often preferred for their ability to accommodate individuals who were still damp from swimming in the sea.

Similar to the Savio Jungla, the Mini Moke and the French sibling, the Citroën Méhari, were also commonly seen at waterfront establishments during that era. The Méhari bore a striking resemblance to the Jungla, leading many to speculate that it drew direct inspiration from the Italian vehicle, appearing on the market just three years later.

Mini Cooper at Cruisn' The Grove (2023) in Elm Grove, WI.

Mini Moke

1964 Morris Mini Moke

My tumblr-blogs: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/germancarssince1946 & https://www.tumblr.com/blog/frenchcarssince1946 & https://www.tumblr.com/blog/englishcarssince1946 & https://www.tumblr.com/blog/italiancarssince1946 & https://www.tumblr.com/blog/japanesecarssince1947

Flucht vor den Regenwolken

Mini Moke

AUSTIN Mini Moke avec Mireille Darc et Diana Rigg

Mini Moke

Fiat 126 “Jolly”. 

From the traditional Meyer’s Manx buggy to the Citroën Mehari, obscure Tangara Dunes and Renault Rodeos, to Mini Mokes and Volkswagen Things, beach cars are joyfully single-minded to the pursuit of low-speed fun in the sun. As the monikers already mentioned suggest, even their names are enough to cheer you up, and none come more jolly than… well, Jolly. Fiat originally commissioned a run of sun-friendly 600s from coachbuilder Ghia in the late 1950s, but the smaller 500 Jolly is arguably even better known, with its cut-down sides, wicker seats and a roof like a Bedouin tent. The low sides were perfect for hopping in and out and the seats allowed water and sand to fall through once you were in – though “in” is a somewhat relative term when it comes to beach cars. And if it looked like that thin fabric roof might fly away in the gentlest breeze, then remember that with a 13-horsepower, 479cc parallel twin behind you, even generating a gentle breeze would be something of a struggle.B But think of the benefits. For one, while beach cars are categorically not about going quickly, the 126’s 594cc twin makes not far short of double the power of a 500, at 23bhp. The builder of this car clearly put safety as a slightly higher priority too, using more reassuring-looking tubing to hoist the roof and protect the cabin than the slim chrome tubes on a 500 or 600.

Mini Moke @ Sodegaura

man my cat woke me up at ass o clock in the morning and now I can't fall back asleep bc I got all wound up and angry at my mom again.